Historian Benjamin C Fortna delivers a compact yet richly informative account of a nation straddling East and West, tradition and modernity. This book achieves an impressive feat: distilling over two millennia of Turkish history into a narrative that is accessible, nuanced and deeply engaging.

Fortna, a specialist in Ottoman and modern Turkish history, begins with Anatolia’s pre-Islamic past before moving through the rise of the Seljuk Turks, the Ottoman Empire’s centuries-long reign, and into the tumultuous 20th century birth of the Turkish Republic under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Fortna avoids simplistic binaries of East vs West or secularism vs Islamism. Instead, he highlights the complexity of Turkish identity, emphasising how historical legacies continue to inform the present day.

The discussion of the Ottoman legacy is strong. Fortna reframes the empire not as a mere prelude to the modern state, but as an evolving polity with its own sophisticated governance.

The later chapters explore more recent developments, including military coups, the rise of political Islam, the Kurdish question, and the increasingly authoritarian turn under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Fortna’s tone remains even handed, offering analysis without polemic.

The Shortest History of Turkey is ideal for readers seeking a concise yet substantive overview of Turkey’s history, balancing breadth with clarity, making it a strong entry point for those new to Turkish history while still offering insights for informed readers. A valuable read that demystifies a complex nation with clarity and care.

Reviewed by Anthony Llewellyn-Evans

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Benjamin C. Fortna is a professor of history and director of the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies at the University of Arizona.

He has published numerous books on the Ottoman Empire, the early Turkish Republic and modern Türkiye, and has appeared on the BBC programs Who Do You Think You Are? and The Ottomans: Europe’s Muslim Emperors.

Read more about his book here.